Academic Service Learning

Service learning is a philosophy of experiential learning integrated into and enhancing academic curriculum, in which students participate in community service not only to meet the needs of the community, but also to develop their critical thinking skills, commitment to values, and skills for effective leadership. (Mintz & Liu)

Service-learning, by its dual nature of mutual exchange, provides avenues for students to interact with external nonprofits and organizations, learn through experience, and bring those experiences back into the classroom for further academic enrichment, all the while fulfilling a need in the community.

As part of our urban mission, Warner Pacific affirms the importance of engaged learning and supports pedagogies that work towards our goal of preparing civic leaders who will transform society through acts of faith, scholarship, and service. Towards this end, academic service-learning seeks to enrich course content and learning objectives while promoting increased self-awareness, greater personal efficacy, informed critical thinking, and a deeper understanding of societal responsibility, diversity, and the urban environment.